Fic warnings: Consensual Kink, Sub/Dom, Violence, Femslash
Fic Rating: M
Rating for this chapter: M
Summary: Picking up where Season 4 left off, Delphine is prepared to do all that she can to keep Cosima safe, even when the cure doesn't work.
Chapter 2 – Home
Cosima's eyes fluttered open to a blurry ceiling fan. She was finally warm in what felt like ages. She closed her eyes again and let out a long, contented sigh, just happy to not be cold. She pulled the duvet she was snuggled under closer up to her chin and smiled for a moment. Then the reality hit. Delphine was gone…again. She swallowed hard and felt the goose egg in her throat, sitting heavy and unmoving. Tears stung her eyes. She didn't know where she was, but she didn't much care right now. She threw the covers over her head and curled into a ball, ust letting the tears fall. That's when the coughing started.
Delphine flew in the room, rolling up the sleeves of the borrowed flannel and peeling back the covers.
"Cosima, qu'est-ce qui se passe?" she asked, worriedly. Her eyes then saw the blood and she reached for some tissues, holding them to her lover's mouth and catching it. She cleaned Cosima's hands with the Kleenex and kneeled next to the bed as her other hand went firmly to Cosima's back. "Mon pauvre" she cooed.
That goose egg dissolved instantaneously the moment the sweet velvet of Delphine's voice wafted to her ears and she looked over at the blonde who was smiling back at her. She was here. She was okay. She was here. She was here. Cosima hugged her fiercely. The hand that was on Cosima's back shot to her forehead.
"Oh mon Dieu! You're burning up" Delphine exclaimed
In that moment, Cosima's body went rigid and her eyes went wide. Delphine's matched them as she clued in to exactly what was happening. She cleared the bed, taking one of the pillows and placing it against the headboard above Cosima's head just as she started to convulse. Delphine watched in horror as blood spilled from Cosima's mouth and her body shook. There was nothing that she could do but watch.
"Just let it happen my love. It will be over soon. I'm right here" she attempted to comfort.
She wished that a day would come where she wouldn't have to say those words on a daily basis. She would never grow tired of trying to comfort Cosima, but those words just seemed so empty right now. They had been overused and like old chewing gum had lost their flavour. Delphine called Cal's name, knowing that she had to get this cure in to Cosima's body and fast.
Cal rushed in, still unfamiliar with the French doctor but willing to help.
"Can you um…" Delphine snapped her fingers a couple of times, keeping half of her attention on Cosima with a gentle hand on her chest as she searched for the English word. Her brain raced a million miles "…fetch! Can you please fetch me my supplies from the kitchen table?" she asked
Cal stared in shock at Cosima, who had finally stopped convulsing on the bed. She was unconscious, blood exiting her mouth and nose.
"Is she okay?" he asked
Delphine swallowed hard, fighting her own tears. She was painfully aware that Cosima was dying. Without the cure, she wouldn't last until tomorrow and that thought terrified the young doctor more than anything. "I am afraid she is not well. We need to get the cure in her sooner than originally planned" Delphine informed him.
He just nodded and left the room as Delphine rolled Cosima into a recovery position, resting her forehead on the younger woman's shoulder. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. It had been some time since she'd slept, but she knew that she could not right now. As much as she wanted nothing more than to curl up with Cosima in her arms, she had too many things to do. Cal came in the room a few moments later, his large butcher block full of what Delphine had taken from the camp and had been working on at the table. He rolled it over to her.
Delphine looked up at him, watery-eyed and whispered a thank you. He nodded, put a hand on her shoulder and walked out. Delphine pulled up the desk chair in the room, positioning it right at the side of Cosima's bed and got back to work.
Slides went under the microscope, and then were pipetted with droplets as Delphine carefully observed every tiny change. When she saw it- saw the cure in action- the tears fell. She quickly mixed it in a vial with some aluminum salts, formaldehyde, and saline. She then placed a drop of the solution on a clean slide and observed.
"Tu l'as vraiment trouvé." Delphine whispered to herself.
She quickly loaded up a syringe and capped it, moving to the bed and taking off her gloves. She brushed Cosima's dreads back with her fingers and stooped down to kiss her.
"Wake up mon petit chiot, it's time to cure you" she whispered in to Cosima's ear, gently running her tongue in to it.
Cosima woke with a smile at the wet attention and wrapped her arms weakly around Delphine.
"I have the cure ready" Delphine whispered to her unable to keep the now tears of joy streaming down her cheeks and the bright, wide smile spreading across her face.
"Of course you do" Cosima whispered back in a hoarse voice.
Cosima leaned in and kissed her softly. Delphine returned it, wishing it be the last copper-infused exchange they had. Well, at least with the lips on Cosima's face. Delphine deepened the kiss, feeling 48 hours of stress and worry fall from her body. When it eventually broke, both women were breathless. Delphine placed her forehead on Cosima's and they both closed their eyes. They stayed like this for a few moments before Delphine pulled away and reached for the tourniquet on the block. She sat up and watched as Cosima struggled to do the same against the headboard until eventually the smaller woman was seated upright.
Delphine put on new gloves and grabbed an alcohol swab, ripping it open, and cleaning Cosima's inner elbow. She looked up at her other half as she uncapped the syringe.
"Are you ready?" Delphine asked.
Cosima smiled and nodded, her eyes barely able to stay open. Delphine noticed the pale, blotchy quality to her skin and noted how beautiful she was. She gently slid the needle in to Cosima's arm and slowly injected the substance. Cosima's head leaned back against the headboard, it becoming too heavy for her to hold up on her own.
Once the plunger met its end, Delphine slowly pulled the needle from the tender flesh of her partner and placed a cotton ball on the injection site. She recapped the needle and disposed of it in the sharps container on the bottom rack of the wheeled butcher's block. After peeling the gloves off, Delphine slid up against Cosima's body. She held the brunette's back against her chest as she entangled their fingers. Cosima leaned in to her and let herself melt, letting her heart finally feel at home.
"Sarah?" she asked
"Asleep in the next room. Cal's been keeping an eye on her, but she is doing well. Her wounds are painful but minimal." She informed.
Cosima's hand gently ran over the bandages on Delphine's forearm.
"And you?" the dread head asked.
"I'll be okay. It is, as you say "simply a flesh wound" " Delphine joked.
Cosima gave a weak chuckle as Delphine's arms encircled her and she felt lips press to the top of her head. Delphine's chin then came to rest on her shoulder.
"When can we go home?" the younger woman asked
"Soon. First, I have something that I need to do" she stated.
Cosima turned her head to face Delphine. "What?"
"You have some sisters that are not yet safe" Delphine told her.
"No" Cosima objected
"Oui, mon chéri. I must" she insisted.
Cosima gulped and the goose egg was back. "Hold me…a little longer?"
Delphine nodded and wrapped her arms around Cosima a little tighter. Cosima felt the tears rolling down her cheeks. Every time Delphine went out there, there was a risk that she would never come back. Cosima knew that she was going after Rachel. Afterall, she had made her promise to love and protect ALL of her sisters. Rachel counted. But Rachel was dangerous and unpredictable.
"When we get home, and you're all better, on va acheter une maison. It'll be a nice little place, avec beaucoup de caractère et un grand jardin. We'll grow watermelons; lots of watermelons and peaches. We'll have a big porch swing and sit out there all morning, drinking our coffee and on fumerait des joints à plein étoile. We'll live simply. And I will love you every day" Delphine whispered to Cosima
Cosima smiled and wiped her tears "We'll have our own lesbian book club."
"Oui, oui mon chéri. We'll read our way through every facet of science and literature" Delphine fantasized "And share everything we learn"
"Sounds like a good life" Cosima spoke, the end punctuated by a rough cough.
Delphine nodded and kissed Cosima's face, giving her a gentle squeeze.
"It will be our life. But now, you need to sleep and I have an errand to run" Delphine noted.
Reluctantly, Cosima nodded and let Delphine lay her down and tuck her in like a child. Delphine kissed her forehead and her eyes looked up, filling with tears for what felt like the millionth time that day. Cosima's lips quivered.
"If I ask you not to go, will you listen?" she breathed softly to her lover.
Delphine shook her head. Cosima nodded again and wrapped her arms around Delphine's neck, holding her close for a bit longer.
"I love you. Just…know that" Cosima informed her, as if she did not already know.
Delphine smiled "Et je t'aime comme si c'était la première fois que mon cœur bat."
Cosima let those words penetrate the fear and worry she was feeling all over again. Everything that Delphine said in French sounded and felt so much more authentic, so much more sincere. She wondered if that was something the French woman did purposefully and made a mental note to ask her later; because there would be a later.
Delphine kissed her chastely before pulling away.
"Make sure to get some more sleep and something to eat. You'll need your strength" Delphine instructed as she pulled on her clothing, bundling up again. Once she was dressed, she turned back to Cosima and smiled.
"Delphine?" Cosima whimpered from the bed.
"Oui mon amour?" she asked
"You look good in flannel" Cosima half-joked, wanting to lighten the mood.
That was four hours ago. Now, Delphine sat just barely outside of the camp, hidden by the deep forest and masked from the dogs by the scented decoys the Art team (as she had come to call them in her head) had set up. They sat and waited for the distraction, having located where Charlotte was being kept. The dogs barked in the background and the trees bustled with movement as the forest lit up with the shouts of men. She heard the snap of gunfire as the two commandos next to her exploded out of the forest, guns up. They motioned for her to get up as they told everyone to stay where they were.
Delphine did her part and stood behind them as they ordered the people in the tent, out. They told them to bring the girl with them. Every order was complied. The moment Charlotte was in view, Delphine's heart leapt in to her throat to see the girl with not a scratch on her. Despite what she had told Cosima, she had feared for this girl. She knew that she would be okay. After all, she had Cosima in her, but Cosima had been in much more imminent danger. It took everything she had in her to not let her mama bear instincts surge to life and rush over to the girl, pulling her to safety.
Instead she waited as the two men holding the young clone let her go. Charlotte looked terrified, her hands in the air, unsure of what was going to happen. She had two guns pointed in her direction so she stepped forward as she was instructed to, every body part shaking in fear and her eyes closed. The moment she was far enough away from the rest of the people, Delphine reached for her and pulled her in to a fierce hug.
"You're safe. It's okay. It's all going to be okay. I'm a friend of Cosima's" Delphine told her as tears streamed down Charlotte's face.
"You are?" the young girl asked.
Delphine nodded and walked her backwards, holding tight. She saw the signals going through the group being held hostage that meant they were gearing up to all reach for their weapons. Her eyes went wide and she kept her eyes on them.
"You need to listen to me, when I say so, you run as fast as you can towards the beach. Get on the helicopter and tell them to go. Do you understand?" she asked
Charlotte nodded.
Delphine waited.
Delphine observed
Delphine saw it.
"Go now!" She told the girl.
Charlotte ran. Charlotte ran as fast as her leg would let her. Delphine jumped onto her stomach, covering her head as the gunfire erupted. She stayed as close to the forest floor as possible. She watched as the two commandos took bullet after bullet to the chest, unmoved as their vests and training absorbed the shock and damage. Their shots rang out and the camp's inhabitants fell one by one until they were all lying on the ground.
She knew it was but a moment's safety as she got to her feet and the men ran with her towards the beach. She saw the helicopter, saw Charlotte get pulled up. She heard the dogs and men behind her. The commandos ran alongside her as they got to the helicopter just as the gunfire burst behind them. They were each pulled aboard as it took off safely.
Delphine reached for Charlotte, pulling the girl's head to her chest. The young girl wept. Delphine moved them so that they were seated and buckled them in, getting Charlotte's headset on first, then putting on her own. She adjusted the mics.
"Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" she asked
"No. I'm fine. That was just really scary and…and… Cosima was back there" she informed Delphine.
"No, I got her out earlier. She's safe. We came back for you" Delphine rebutted.
"She is?" Charlotte asked, looking up expectantly at Delphine, tear-stained cheeks.
Delphine nodded and wiped a few tears away.
"She's safe and has been cured, resting in bed right now" Delphine told her.
Charlotte smiled and hugged Delphine.
"Thank you. Thank you for coming for me" she told her.
"You are very welcome" Delphine retorted, hugging back.
Delphine eventually let go of the girl and smiled at her as she wiped away her own tears.
"Are we going to see her now?" Charlotte asked
Delphine shook her head "We have one more stop" she told her.
Charlotte nodded and turned to face the front of the helicopter.
"You ever flown in a chopper there, little girl?" the pilot asked
"No" Charlotte answered.
"You afraid of heights?" he asked
"No" Charlotte responded
"Well then you'll want to look down" he told her.
Charlotte turned and looked out of the chopper.
"Wow!" she exclaimed, patting Delphine's shoulder "You need to see this"
Delphine shook her head "I, unlike you am afraid of heights. I'd prefer not to" she responded, keeping her chin held high and fighting the urge to now look down.
Charlotte nodded and looked back out the window. "There's the house!"
The helicopter slowly eased back down to touch on the beach. Delphine looked to the leader of the Art team "Do not hurt her" she told him and handed him a syringe "Anywhere on the body will do. It'll work quickly but wear off within five minutes. Make sure you've got control of her" she instructed.
He nodded "Yes, doctor"
She patted his arm "Thank you"
He nodded again and ordered his team out of the helicopter.
Cosima woke up and rolled her neck, feeling the crick from having been lying for too long. She coughed once, but it was different. She hadn't had a cough actually clear her throat in a long time. It was one and it was over. No blood, no pain. She reached to her neck and rubbed it before swinging her feet out of bed and carefully standing up. There was an initial rush of light-headedness, but then she felt fine; great in fact. She smiled softly and tossed on the sweats Delphine had laid out for her. She lightly padded out of the room and to the kitchen.
"The dead walks. I thought that you'd never wake up. How are you feeling?" Sarah asked, seated at a kitchen table with a set of crutches next to her.
Cosima chuckled and walked over pulling her into a hug.
"Oi! Watch it with the touchy feelies" Sarah griped.
"Oh, you love it. Glad to have you back, sestra" Cosima told her.
"Yeah, likewise. Word on the street was that you gave us all quite the scare" she told her.
Cosima shrugged and pulled a knee to her chest, tucking the other leg under herself on the chair. "Yeah I guess so. Luckily I had a great doctor. Speaking of, have we heard from her?" she noted, resting her head on her knee.
"You mean Delphine?" Sarah wondered.
"Yeah, Delphine" Cosima clarified, rolling the last syllable of her lover's name off her tongue as it came out.
"Yeah. The pilot radioed us after they got Charlotte. They're on their way to Rachel. So that's it? You're cured?" Sarah asked.
Cosima smiled and nodded, then dipped her head to the side "Well, theoretically."
"What does that mean?" Sarah asked
Cosima sat up, freeing her hands to talk with "Well what happens under the microscope doesn't directly translate to what happens in a real human body. You see the human body is a complex network of systems all trying to work together, or in my case, some working against others, and it all creates this very unpredictable environment" she taught.
Sarah looked confused "I thought that's what all this science was for, right? Don't we know all about how our bodies work? Maybe you're a little rusty on the science there."
Cosima chuckled and shook her head "We don't know everything, especially about cancer and the environment it creates. If we did, we wouldn't be having such a hard time curing it all. Each cancer acts differently."
"Oh, well, all of this science crap is jibberish to me, but hey, I'm glad you're well." Sarah sincerely told Cosima.
Cosima smiled "Me too. And you?"
It was Sarah's turn to chuckle "Your lover girl put 8 stitches in me and patched me up. Good as new."
"8 stiches? Holy crap, Sarah, what happened?" she asked
"Rachel" sarah sighed "knifed me in the bloody thigh. Then went all poking around it with her fucking cane."
Cosima's eyes went wide, and just as she was about to ask more questions, Cal walked in with two large paper bags. He plopped them on the table.
"I present you: breakfast! Hot off Sal's griddle down the road. Cosima, glad to see you're up." Cal mentioned.
Both women basically ignored him as they tore in to the bags. Cal just chuckled "Boy am I glad I ate in the truck on the way home." He took a seat next to Sarah and pulled his coffee out of the tray, sipping it as he scrolled through the paper.
Cosima realized that it had been quite some time since she had last eaten. She was ravenous. Styrofoam flew open as she found the plastic fork and dove in to a pile of eggs. Had she looked over, she would see Sarah doing the same.
Delphine felt her eyes threaten to close and she quickly opened them. She knew that she should have gone to get Rachel with the team, but her body wouldn't let her. Besides, Charlotte had a vice grip on her good arm and had no intention of letting go.
"What's going to happen to me now?" the brunette asked
Delphine took a deep breath and wrapped an arm around her smaller body "I'm not sure but we'll keep you close. You're a part of the group now and we'll keep you safe"
"I am?" she asked
Delphine nodded "There are so many people you need to meet"
"Clones?" Charlotte wondered
"Yes, and others too. All people working hard to keep all of you safe" Delphine whispered to her, rubbing her arm softly.
Charlotte leaned in to her. She had never really needed anyone as far as she could remember. She'd had a sterile childhood, detached from human emotions, but after the past few days, it felt good to be held; to feel protected and looked after. She never knew how much she had craved it. Even if it was momentary and fleeting, even if in the morning Delphine would never hug her again, right now it was exactly what she needed. She felt safe. She closed her eyes, curled up in the older woman's side.
Delphine saw the rush of bodies coming towards them as they carried Rachel's limp body on board. She was zip tied and black bagged. They sat her in the seat at the far back of the helicopter. Delphine felt Charlotte shoot awake and tense so she held on a little tighter.
"She won't hurt you. I won't let her" she whispered to Charlotte who nodded and did her best to relax again.
Delphine put on their headsets as two more men boarded, helping an older woman who was covered in blood.
"Susan!" Charlotte exclaimed, getting up from her seat to go to her guardian.
Susan smiled "You're safe" she noted, delighted. "And Comsima?"
"Cosima is safe" Delphine snipped.
"French accent, perfect hair, you MUST be Delphine. Pleased to finally meet you" she smiled, extending a hand.
Delphine stared at it, refusing to take it in to her own and shake it.
"Manger de la merde!" Delphine spat out.
She turned forward and let Charlotte go sit next to her caretaker.
Cosima hung on every word as she watched Sarah on the phone.
"But you're alright, ya?" Sarah asked "Well good. Bloody Ferdinand can rot in a cell a thousand kilometers away from Rachel's once we get her back. You're sure Art can make the charges stick?"
Cosima smiled and sat back in her chair, wrapping a hand around the back of her own neck and using her other to bring the cup of herbal tea to her lips. She closed her eyes, savoring the flavour, thinking about Delphine.
"Good. I just want to get this shite all clear so we can get back to our normal lives. Send Kira my love." Sarah told the other line with a tone of relief. "I love you too, S. Yeah, we should be back soon. Ok, bye"
Sarah hung up and reached out, gently gripping Cosima's upper arm.
"You alright?" she asked.
Cosima nodded, opening her eyes and dropping her foot from the chair. "Yeah, just thinking about how I don't remember what normal feels like."
"I don't think I've ever been bloody normal" Sarah states with a chuckle, ripping off a piece of toast and popping it into her mouth. "But you and the doctor, then?"
Cosima sighed "I don't know. All I know what that it was such a...relief seeing her." she looked up at her sister "I just can't get enough of her. I know, there's a lot we need to talk about but...I just can't help...falling back in all over again."
"Yeah, I kind of know exactly what you mean" Sarah levelled with her, leaning over to catch a glimpse of Cal in the next room, reading his morning paper. He'd walked out to let them talk.
"Ah, I see. I guess I'm not the only sestra running to the past" she chuckled "He's cute you know, smart too, and kind, not to mention monstrously generous" she noted.
"If you're waiting for me to tell you the same about Delphine, don't hold your breath" Sarah spat.
Cosima nodded and waved her hands in front of her "That's fair."
Sarah got serious and leaned in to her scientist sestra "Can you really trust her?"
Cosima shrugged, looking down "I mean, she's gotten us this far, hasn't she? I was dying and she just...kind of came to my complete rescue. Like a knight in shining blonde curls or something" they both chuckled.
"She did, didn't she? Well, she didn't exactly have to come for me either. But she did." Sarah shook her head.
"Besides, I don't know if I can stay away. After...after...after thinking that she was...gone, I just" she closed her eyes and took a deep breath "My heart needs her close. It's not that I'm not weary, it's just that I can't do anything else"
Sarah sighed and sat back in her chair, running a hand through her tousled locks. "What is it with us sestras and our darn hearts?"
Cosima chuckled "Maybe it's just in our DNA. Our hearts want what they want. With Alison, that's Donnie, Helena and Jesse, you and well, Cal, then Vic, then Paul, then Cal again, then some bar randos, now Cal again." Cosima teased.
Sarah whacked her with the food bag now full of trash playfully "Need I remind you of a certain Shay?"
Cosima laughed a deep belly laugh and took the bag from Sarah "I'll take Shay over Vic any day" she stuck her tongue out.
"You're lucky you're sick or I'd kick your arse right here and right now" Sarah threatened, flicking Cosima's arm.
"Oh yeah? You forget that I know exactly where you're ticklish." Cosima threatened, raising an eyebrow.
"You wouldn't!" Sarah exclaimed, feining outrage.
Cosima waved her fingers "Would't I, ms. dry between the eyebrows?"
They both burst in laughter, only calming after they were both crying and Cal had walked in, looking confused and shaking his head.
"I just thought you would want to know, we have contact. They've got Rachel and are on their way back. Everyone's accounted for. Ten minutes until they touch down" Cal informed them
They nodded "Thanks Cal" Sarah told him, tenderness in her voice.
He smiled at Sarah and tapped his hand on the archway frame before popping back into the living room.
"Thanks, I needed that laugh." Cosima told Sarah, wiping the tears from her eyes. She sighed. "I can tell you one thing, I'll be glad to not have to worry about her getting killed after all of this."
"And you don't even have kids to worry about" Sarah retorted.
"I don't know how you manage" Cosima told her, finishing her tea and standing up "I think I'll go meet them outside. Care to join?"
"I think I've seen enough of Rachel for a while" Sarah snapped with venom.
"I get that, you do you." Cosima added in support as she turned and left the room to get bundled up and ready to head out.
Delphine spotted a house with a large yard, right on the edge of the water. She recognized it instantly as the place where Cosima was waiting for her. She felt her chest light up and the butterflies jumped to life with full flutter in her stomach. She then saw the two little specs, slowly coming in to focus. She assumed one was Cal, but knew without question that the other was Cosima. Her mind filled with worry. She shouldn't be out in this cold. The helicopter couldn't land soon enough.
Cosima shielded her eyes against the bright morning sun with a gloved hand as she watched the chopper land. She smiled wide as she saw Delphine pop out first, heading towards her.
Without thought, she ran towards her love, jumping out at her and sending them tumbling in to the snow together as she pressed her body to the blonde's.
"Cosima!" Delphine cried, caught off guard by the smaller woman.
"You're safe" Cosima whispered, pulling back far enough to lean in and kiss Delphine gently.
It started chaste and quickly their lips moved to a familiar dance of warm velvet on warm velvet, gliding over each other. Cosima gently sucked Delphine's bottom lip in her mouth as she felt herself light on fire and Delphine respond with a tiny whimper. When she let go, Delphine countered by running her tongue softly over Cosima's lips. The brunette opened her mouth and granted the doctor access. Delphine was happy to take it, softly running her tongue in to Cosima's mouth and over her tongue. The world faded away. No one else existed but them. Cosima then needed to pull away to let out a few weak coughs. Delphine held her cheeks.
"You should not be outside, mon amour" she chastised.
"I'm feeling a lot better" she smiled at Delphine, leaning down to press another kiss to her lips.
In that moment, Charlotte bowled Cosima over with a hug.
"Woah! Tiny genius on the move." She hugged the girl back and looked up at Delphine, whispering a thank you.
Delphine simply nodded, standing up.
"I'm so happy you're okay" Charlotte confessed.
Cosima ruffled her hair and smiled ear to ear "And you have no clue how glad I am to see you"
Charlotte smiled and gave her another quick hug before standing up. Cosima got to her feet with the help of Delphine's extended hand.
As she stood, she caught Rachel's eye. The clone might have been tied up in the back of the chopper, but she shot daggers at Cosima and Charlotte. Cosima wrapped a protective arm around Charlotte and another around Delphine's waist. She held them close to her, not breaking eye contact. She flared her nostrils, and then cracked a smile. She turned to the young girl and whispered to her.
"I bet you could use a big plate of French toast" she whispered.
"You bet!" Charlotte exclaimed excitedly.
Cosima nodded and turned to Delphine "And I bet you could use a nap"
"Are the bags that obvious?" she asked, touching her face, worried.
Cosima chuckled "You're beautiful" she kissed Delphine's cheek, making her blush.
"You two go ahead. I want a word with the pilot" Delphine told them.
Cosima nodded, keeping her arm around Charlotte and pecking Delphine on the lips before steering her younger counterpart towards the house.
Delphine sighed and tousled her blonde curls, walking over to the helicopter. She walked over to the Pilot's window and knocked. He rolled it down.
"Where are you bringing them?" she asked
"We have orders to arrest both Rachel and Susan Duncan on charges of illegal cloning" he told her.
Delphine swallowed hard and nodded "And what of the clones?" she asked.
"What clones? You mean the attempts at cloning illegally, followed by illegally euthanizing human beings? We have evidence tying Neolution and a faction of the military to Brightborn" he told her with a smile on his face.
Delphine tried hiding her own smile by rolling her lips in between her teeth as she nodded. She couldn't however stop the faint chuckle that escaped. "You're cheeky. I tend to like that" she told him.
He chuckled himself "All Art's idea, m'am. Says he's got enough fire power to throw away the key on the whole operation"
"Well I hope so" she noted before her demeanour turned serious. "And thank you for all of the help, all you and your men have done" she told him.
"Our pleasure. Getting our names on this case is thanks enough. We're legends. And you, blondie should really consider a career in Special ops" he informed her.
"Oh no, I think I have had enough of covert operations for a couple lifetimes. Maybe I'll teach" she piped in.
He shrugged "Whatever suits you."
"Anyways, I should let you get back to work" she noticed "I just wanted to show my gratitude"
He nodded "Have a safe trip back to Canada, Blondie"
"You as well, commander"
Cosima stood at the stove, cooking as Charlotte read the paper at the table next to Cal and Sarah, heads bent together. She flipped the four pieces of French toast and took a deep breath, resting her hand on her hip and cocking it to the side, rolling her neck. She was looking forward to being home. Despite feeling a million times better than where she was this morning, she felt her body ache and scream for a couple weeks of R&R.
She heard the back door to the kitchen open and then felt arms snake around her waist, kisses pressed to her neck. She smiled and turned around in the embrace to kiss Delphine softly, snaking her arms around the taller woman's neck. She smiled against her lips.
"Hungry?" Cosima whispered.
"Starving" Delphine answered, pressing a hand to Cosima's forehead.
Cosima moved it away "You don't have to baby me. I'm fine. I'm cured, remember?"
Delphine shook her head "You've had one round of the cure. You're still at risk"
"Delphine, really. I feel fine." She told her, then kissed her cheek "Now sit down and relax while I finish up the food. It's my turn to take care of you" she told her.
Delphine chuckled "Yes m'am!" She then left Cosima with one more kiss and turned, dropping in a chair next to Charlotte. Her eyes never left Cosima, watching her as she cooked.
Charlotte put the paper down and looked between Delphine and Cosima. She then lifted the paper again, going back to her reading but spoke up to Delphine "Your pupils are dilating"
Delphine turned to Charlotte, confused "Excusez-moi?"
"Tes pupilles sont dilaté" Charlotte repeated.
"Tu parles français?" Delphine asked excitedly. It had been so long since she'd been able to speak in her mother tongue.
"Yeah. Along with German, Yiddish, Ojibway, Afrikaans, Italian, Spanish, and a little bit of Cantonese and Mandarin. I've had a lot of time on my hands and a lot of books" she informed Delphine. "You really love her, don't you?" she asked Delphine.
Delphine looked back to Cosima and nodded.
"Avec chaque molécule dans mon corps."
Charlotte smiled "It shows in your eyes"
Delphine chuckled at the girl "You're very observant"
"I was raised on science" she noted "I was trained to be observant"
"Well now, it's time to be trained to be pumped full of sugar" Cosima told her, catching the very end of the conversation as she slid a plate in front of Charlotte, piled high with French toast, smothered in butter and maple syrup with a side of eggs. "And don't think I forgot you" she told Delphine, sliding another plate in front of her.
Sarah saw this and was about to pipe up with what Cosima was sure would be a complaint about being left out. Cosima slide a plate in front of her and shook her head "I know, if it's food. Sarah needs it. Don't worry I didn't forget about you sis" she told her, and then handed a plate to Cal before getting up and bringing the orange juice and some glasses to the table. She poured everyone a glass before heading back to the counter to pour herself and Delphine chamomile teas from the whistling kettle.
"Oh wow! Cosima! Wow!" Sarah praised between bites.
"Thank you Cosima" Charlotte mentioned, careful to not forget her manners.
"My pleasure mini me" she said before easing in to a chair next to Delphine, passing her a tea. She gave her lover a smile and it was automatically returned.
After breakfast and a hot shower, Delphine slid happily in to bed. Cosima had taken Charlotte to get her comfortable in Kira's room with the promise to join her once she had the girl settled. Delphine wondered what was going to happen with Charlotte. Susan would be in jail, and she knew the girl didn't have anyone else. Perhaps Alison would take her in. After all, Alison had always wanted a child of her own and this was the closest that she'd get. Besides, Alison knew kids, had kids. She sighed, hoping the girl would stay close. She enjoyed her company and looked forward to conversing in French with her.
Delphine heard the door open and didn't bother to look up or open her eyes. She felt the weight on the bed, and then she was being wrapped in Cosima's arms. She sighed happily as she was showered with kisses.
"No more missions for you. No more being a hero. No more running in to the line of fire. I don't think my heart could take it" Cosima told her.
Delphine smiled and nodded "No more. I promise"
Cosima nodded and closed her own eyes. She knew that she wouldn't fall asleep, but was very happy just holding Delphine right now; just feeling her close, feeling her heart beat against her own chest, feeling her breath tickle the skin right above her breasts. She was so happy to be home.
A/N: No, this is not an ending. There is plenty more to come. Thank you to everyone who's taken the time to review, follow, favourite, and even just read this fic. If you want Tumblr updates on this, you can follow me at the same username on there as here. That's the best way to catch my attention and I love getting messages on there. Please let me know what you think. I plan on getting the next chapter up by Tuesday evening EST. That will probably be the end of the quick and long updates. From there on, it'll probably be either long or quick updates. And for the record, I know some science, but not the extent to which I am writing. All of these "fic facts" as I like to call them are from very shallow research and my own deductions. Anyways, hope that you're all enjoying so far.